Menstrual cramping (dysmenorrheal) is a medical condition characterized by severe uterine pain during menstruation. The condition is the result of contractions of the uterus as it expels unneeded contents and also from the passage of clotted blood through the cervix. The underlying pain results when the uterine muscles contract too hard or fast resulting in severe discomfort around the abdomen, back, and often the legs.
The condition most commonly affects women between the ages of 20 through 24. While most women only experience minor pain during menstruation, menstrual cramps are often severe enough to limit normal activities or may require medication. Menstrual cramping may precede menstruation by several days or may accompany it. More typically, such cramping occurs on the first or second day of the menstrual cycle.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, roughly 52 percent of women in the United States between the ages of 15 to 51 suffer from some level of menstrual cramps. Of these, 10 percent have such a severe condition as to require a doctor visit. Statistics from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology reveal that menstrual cramping represents the number one cause of missed school and work days among women. In fact, menstrual cramping accounts for an astonishing 140 million hours of lost school and work every year.
Despite these alarming statistics, very little has been done to advance the art of treating menstrual cramping. Traditional methods of chemical treatment include taking an over-the-counter pain killer which includes ibuprofen as the active ingredient. Non-traditional methods include a regimen of taking calcium, Vitamin D and magnesium supplements. Non-medicinal ways of treatment typically include use of heat around the abdomen, such as a heating pad or taking a warm sitz-bath.
Each aforementioned treatment option has its limitations, and none actually work to treat the underlying medical cause of these cramps. Studies show how increased ingestion of ibuprofen may result in multiple adverse drug reactions (ADRs), as well as associated gastrointestinal (GI) effects and renal problems. Many women cannot always take chemical medications due to these problems as well as other undesirable side affects. Dietary supplements like calcium, Vitamin D and magnesium may help reduce pain but do not eliminate or treat the condition. Use of heat around the abdomen only offers at most temporary relief and does nothing more than mask the pain.
With the growing acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine (CAD), there is a need in the art for an effective yet non-chemical treatment of menstrual cramps. This is especially true with the large number of individuals whose personal and spiritual beliefs preclude use of chemical medicines like ibuprofen.